Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-27
THE BOOK or MORMON.
a Puritan Minister Partly Responsi.
BILE for Its Production.

y TIE 0OOk@Of MORMON.~ r =
A Puritan Minister Partly Responsi.
|. Bile for Its Production.
The recent conference of the Joseph
ties or homogeneous Mormons at Kirt-
land. o.. and the extended reports OF
their proceedings, has renewed public
interest in the peculiar faith to which
members of this church subscribed.
The origin of the Book of Mormon
has never been clearly established. The
Latter-Dav Saints, of course, accept
the statements of Joe Smith and be.
l'eVe it to be an inspired work. The
general public, however, are hardly as
credulous, and regard the alleged bible
as traud-the work of some clever
romancist rather than the translation
of hieroglyphics on golden plates bv
nineteenth century prophet. The
Spauldlng theory, with which everyone
at all acquainted with the subject is
familiar, has the most advocates. They
hold that Spaulding's manuscript OF
his romance, The manuscript Found"
fell into the hands of Joe Smith, Sid
ney Rigdon, and others, and from tina,
tHnciful work was constructed the
Book of Mormon.
Ii this theory be true it will astOnish
orthodox church people to learn that a
Congregational divine, one of the fore
most Of his time IN New England, is
responsible for the introduction Of the
twin relic of barbarism'' m''-as the Utah
church has been called-in this coun-
try. Rev. Ethan Smith. who died at
an advanced age in the early ''forties,"
was one OF the lights of the Conerega-
tional church in New England. A
man of deep learning, he was at once
a preacher, author, and philosopher,
holding to many ideas far in advance
OF his time. One of his pet hobbies
was the belief that the North Ameri-
can Indians were descended from the
lost tribes of Israel, who came over to
this continent several hundred years
before Christ, built great cities, and
reached a very high state of civiliza-
.ion. Rev. DR.. Smith wrote a work
on this subject, which, after compile
ton, he decided not to publish. tearing
that it might injure his reputation as
a theological writer This book was
an elaboration of the theory DR..
Smith had so lone maintained. TAX
ing as its foundation the migration OF
the lost tribes of Israel to the western
continent, it described the hegira from
Palestine, the establishment of the
Jews in what is now Central America
and Mexico, the bounding of a great
empire and its gradual decline and fall.
It told of magnificent cities inhabited
by an enlightened and Christian peo-
pie. The author claimed for them a
civilization equal to that of Egypt or
Jerusalem.
Hundreds of years passed, and the
history OF the eastern Jews was repeat
ed on the western continent. Quarrcls
between the various tribes sprang up,
bloody wars were wagcd, and the pro-
cess Of dlsintegration began. Gradual
l!v the people were scattered, their Gil les
DESTROYED, and ali sem blance Of a nation
was lost. Thousands persisted by pes
thence and the sword, and the rem
nants of once mighty nation rclapsed
into a state of barbarism. Their de-
scendants, DR.. Smith claimed, We're the
Indians of North America, and the Az
tees of Mexico. This is almost exactly
similar to the story told in the book Of
Mormons.
Solomon Spaulding was a warm adj
mirer OF DIR. Smith, and when young
man studied under his tuition. He be-
came interested in his theories regard
ing the settlement of America, and in
return DR.. Smith took the young stu
him a persual of his unpublished book.
Spau)diog was deeply impressed with
the truth of this theory, and pursued
his Investigations even further than DR..
Smith had ventured. Taking the lat
ter's views as expressed in his book,
Spaulding some years latter wrote his
famous '.ManuscrjH H Found,' which af-
lerward fell into the hands of Joe
Smith, and WAS reconstructed INTO the
Book of Mornons. Indeed, it is not ut
all unlikely that DR.. Smiths original
manuscript, which it is said Spaulding
had in his possession, suffered similar
fate. At any rate, it has never been
seen since.
These facts are told The Plu,m Deul-
er by q grandson of Dr. Smith now re-
siding in this city. He states that the
Book of Mormons differs very slightly,
as far as general outlines is concerned.
from the historical romance written by
his grandfather sixty or seventy years
ago, and he is quite certain that the
Mormon faith is founded on the pro-
duction Of that worthy pastors fertile
maginat. on. --' leveland Pluiw Dculer.